U.S. law enforcement charges 13 in connection with gun trafficking into Canada
Several recovered at crime scenes in Canada — including one kidnapping and one attempted murder. By Kelly Geraldine Malone The United States has charged 13 people for trafficking firearms from New Hampshire into Canada in a law enforcement operation that traced guns to Canadian crime scenes. “This tracking network allegedly exploited border geography and reservation corridors to move firearms into Canada while attempting to avoid law enforcement detection,” said U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire Erin Creegan at a news conference in Concord, N.H. on Thursday. Court documents said members of the Akwesasne reservation in New York travelled to Vermont, where they enlisted Justin Jackson to purchase firearms on their behalf. The documents allege that since Jackson was prohibited from purchasing firearms, he got Melissa Longe, Dustin Tuttle, Caleb Wilcott and...
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First Nations join forces to combat escalating drug crisis
By Carrie Ivardi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SNnewswatch.com LONG LAKE — Two neighbouring First Nations are asking the government for enhanced policing and mental health supports to combat the rising crime and violent trespassing into their communities. “The root cause of the community instability is a devastating mental health and addiction crisis that has gone under-resourced and unaddressed for far too long,” according to a join press release issued by Long Lake #58 First Nation and Ginoogaming First Nation. Adding that violence leading to death has also been a serious issue The release says the two First Nations have taken action “out of pocket within their own limited resources and are now faced with increasing demands to take the next steps required to enforce the policing and security bylaws on...
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Tories question CBC funding of spoof-style Indigenous show on residential schools
By Alessia Passafiume Conservatives are questioning why CBC is funding a spoof program that used false pretences to lure high-profile people accused of downplaying the damage caused by residential schools into sitting for interviews. Several current and former Conservative politicians have gone on social media to denounce the production “Northland Tales.” The show is being produced for CBC and APTN. The show is described by the Indigenous Screen Office — which works to increase Indigenous media representation using federal funding — as a satire program meant to “flip the script” on modern and historical injustices against Indigenous Peoples. Frances Widdowson, who has described herself as a “known controversial figure” and has publicly questioned the history of residential schools and unmarked graves of children at the site of a former school...
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Manitoba nursing college vows reconciliation action plan after public apology
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun The College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba issued a formal public apology Tuesday to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples for what it described as systemic discrimination and generational harms within Manitoba’s health-care system. The apology was delivered during a ceremony attended by Elders, Knowledge Keepers, nurses and community members. “It is that spirit of reconciliation and collaboration that has brought us together here today,” said Deb Elias, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of the college. Elias said the organization recognized it had “a great deal of learning to do” as it examined its role in reconciliation within its regulatory mandate. “As the largest health-care profession in Manitoba, registered nurses have been part of the problem and must be part of...
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Experts call for ‘Indigenous lens’ on hiring and workplace policies
By Clint Fleury, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY – “You are working on Indigenous territory on First Nations land in this area. No matter if you’re talking about a mine or you’re talking about any kind of business, know the area, know the history and know what you can do. It’s all the responsibility of all Canadians to participate in reconciliation,” says Wendy Landry. The vice president of Indigenous leadership, partnerships and strategies at Confederation College, was one of three expert panellists at the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce leaders’ luncheon on Wednesday. The panellists encouraged business leaders to strengthen ties with Indigenous communities and fielded questions regarding labour shortages, building Indigenous partnerships and advancing regional economic opportunity. Landry recommended investing in “the Indigenous lens in your company,...
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Toronto Rock and Halifax Thunderbirds meet in all-Canadian NLL final
By John Chidley-Hill Nick Rose has had 11 years to think about what he would do differently if he ever reached the National Lacrosse League final again. Rose will be in between the pipes when his Toronto Rock host the Halifax Thunderbirds on Friday in Game 1 of the best-of-three championship series. It’s the league’s first all-Canadian final since 2015, when the Edmonton (now Saskatchewan) Rush swept Toronto 2-0. “I think that year we may be maybe took it for granted that we were going to win after knocking off the top team for three or four years, and this year, we can’t take anything for granted,” said Rose, recalling how the Rock, motivated by the death of general manager Terry Sanderson, eliminated the Rochester Knighthawks before losing to Edmonton....
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Islands Trust allocates last of $150,000 from province for First Nations Engagement
By Hope Lompe, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder Islands Trust Council approved how the last of a $150,000 grant will be spent, voluntarily given by the provincial government in March 2023 to support relationship building with First Nations and support the development of protocol agreements with First Nations in the Trust Area. The funds, which need to be spent by the end of 2027, were given final allocation approval with the remaining $88,000 to be distributed for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. “The Islands Trust is responsible for land-use regulation on private lands and is best positioned to ensure that proposed bylaws and activities consider the interests and perspectives of the First Nations in whose territory the Trust operates,” the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs provided the Sounder...
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Cowessess First Nation demands action from Ottawa over stalled 1907 land claim settlement
By Andrea Moss, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SaskToday.ca COWESSESS FIRST NATION — A community gathering of Cowessess First Nation leadership and local representatives took place recently to confront mounting frustration over stalled federal implementation processes, despite agreements in principle already being reached on key claims. The strategic meeting drew federal attendance from national NDP Leader Avi Lewis and Leah Gazan, the Critic for Indigenous Affairs. The Cowessess First Nation 1907 Land Claim centres on the invalid surrender of 20,704 acres of reserve land near Broadview. While negotiations for a final settlement remain ongoing in 2026, the high-value resolution is expected to bring substantial financial compensation to the nation. Chief Erica Beaudin criticized the bureaucratic delays and political inaction surrounding Specific Claims settlements that have already undergone years of negotiation. “Our...
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Day parole revoked for Manitoba killer who fabricated Métis ancestry
By Brittany Hobson A man who spent decades behind bars for an axe murder in Manitoba has had his day parole revoked because he lied about being Métis. Jack Wayne Bender, 74, was granted day parole last month. He had been incarcerated since June 1974. In a decision released this week, the Parole Board of Canada said it cancelled the day parole May 5 after Bender’s admitted he had lied about his ancestry. “You have maintained this deception for several years. You also disclosed that you never wished to be released on day parole. This disclosure has led to an increase in your level of needs and a decrease in your motivation,” the board said in its decision. “The fact that you lack transparency and are reluctant to engage in...
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Best place for Alberta is in Canada, PM says after judge tosses separation petition
By Jack Farrell The best place for Alberta to be is in Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday after a judge’s decision to throw out a separatist petition in the province. “Certainly a Canada that works, which is what we’re pursuing,” Carney told reporters. “I think the evidence — well — others will judge.” On Wednesday, Justice Shaina Leonard ruled the petition calling for a referendum on separation shouldn’t have been issued under a provincial law that Premier Danielle Smith’s government made changes to, aiding the separatist effort. The judge also said Smith’s government neglected its duty to consult First Nations. Carney, asked whether he thinks a vote should be held on Alberta separation, said referendums on any topic are part of a democracy but rules also need to...
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B.C., feds tout ‘milestone’ as final LNG investment decision expected by end of 2026
By Darryl Greer British Columbia Premier David Eby says he’s hopeful that LNG Canada will come to a final investment decision at the end of the year that will be the “largest private sector investment in Canadian history.” Eby and other provincial officials, along with federal Energy Minister Tim Hodgson and LNG Canada president Chris Cooper, were in Vancouver on Thursday to tout a new “enhanced co-operation agreement” around the company’s expansion plans in Kitimat, B.C. Eby says if the final investment decision is reached, it will make a “material difference” for both Canada’s GDP and the value of the Canadian dollar. He says there are several “key milestone moments” as the project’s final investment decision approaches, including the release of “hundreds of millions of dollars” by LNG Canada’s joint...
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Federal government invests $12-million in B.C. forestry sector
By Marissa Birnie The federal government has announced it is investing about $12 million in British Columbia’s forestry sector, days after other tariff-hit Canadian industries were offered $1.5 billion in support. Energy Minister Tim Hodgson made the announcement at Terminal Forest Products, a sawmill in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday. Hodgson said the funding will prioritize 14 projects that use low-carbon wood technology, expand the use of mass timber in construction, or are Indigenous operated. He said the investment is part of Canada’s strategy to diversify its wood production and become less reliant on the United States amid its “unjust” tariffs. “What we’ve been doing is working with the industry, working with provinces, working with Indigenous communities on a transformation,” Hodgson said, adding the goal is to become less reliant on...
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Carney, Smith set to make energy announcement; carbon price deal expected
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith are to meet today in Calgary, where they’re expected to announce an agreement on the future of industrial carbon emission pricing in the province. A source with knowledge of the discussions has said the leaders are expected to reveal a plan for Alberta to raise its emission price to $130 per tonne by 2040. Last year, Alberta froze its industrial carbon emission price at $95 per tonne. The two governments pledged in a memorandum of understanding in November to several steps, including a carbon price plan, in order to build a bitumen pipeline to the West Coast. Carney has said today’s agreement would advance that new pipeline. Smith has called the announcement another step toward resetting the province’s relationship with Ottawa....
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‘It’s insane’: Gas prices poised to stay high all summer, upending budgets and travel
By Christopher Reynolds Since gas prices started climbing in March, Sarah Bradley has found herself bargain hunting across multiple grocery stores in Montreal. “Before, I’m a one-stop shop person,” she said. “Now I think twice. I’m like, OK, do I need that from IGA or can I find it somewhere else for cheaper? “It’s insane,” she said of the cost of filling up her Toyota RAV4 SUV this week, an expense that eats into other parts of her budget. In fact, Bradley’s not even filling the tank. She’s pumping 12 litres for $24.57 at a Petro-Canada station where the price just breached $2 a litre. The rest she planned to pump at a Costco, where she’s a member and gets a discount. “I’m on the road a lot and it...
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Data access delayed or denied has serious implications for First Nations, says policy analyst
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com As a policy analyst with the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority, Steffanie Petroni is doing her best to further the work of the northern Ontario organization, but she’s facing challenges. The health authority serves as the data steward for 33 First Nations. It supports these communities on their wellness paths by contributing to a strong health system. Petroni was a speaker at the Chiefs of Ontario Powering Up Data Sovereignty conference held in Toronto. The three-day event began on May 12 and wraps up May 14. Her opening-day session was titled Community-Level Initiatives: Challenges, Solutions and Innovations. Petroni said First Nations have the right to access their own data in order to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing. She...
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The Latest: US-China summit ends with Xi and Trump claiming progress but differences remain
-AP-U.S. President Donald Trump departed Beijing on Friday following a final meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The leaders said they made progress in stabilizing U.S.-China relations, but deep differences remained after two days of meetings and meals. On Friday they walked the grounds of Zhongnanhai, Xi’s official residence, and had a working tea and lunch. During a series of meetings and events Thursday, the two discussed divisive issues such as the Iran war, trade, technology and Taiwan. China has shown little public interest in getting more involved in solving the war in Iran. Xi also suggested differences over Taiwan could put his country and the U.S. on the path toward conflict. Threats of each side imposing steep tariffs also still loom. Trump said Xi told him China wants to...
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Bill C-21 reveals deeper tensions over Métis identity, treaty authority and jurisdiction
By Aaron Walker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com The president of the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) says misinformation and political fearmongering are driving growing opposition to Bill C-21, as legislation to enact the Red River Métis self-government treaty continues to move through Parliament. First Nations leaders who oppose the legislation, however, argue the issues with C-21 run far deeper, raising concerns about treaty authority, consultation, identity, and who has the right to negotiate jurisdiction over traditional territories. Bill C-21, which received second reading in the House of Commons on April 22, would give legal effect to the Red River Métis Self-Government Recognition and Implementation Treaty between Canada and the MMF, the national government of the Red River Métis. For MMF President David Chartrand, the moment represents the culmination of generations...
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U.S. law enforcement charges 13 in connection with gun trafficking into Canada
By Kelly Geraldine Malone The United States has charged 13 people for trafficking firearms from New Hampshire into Canada through Akwesasne tribal lands that straddle both countries. U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire Erin Creegan says five people have pleaded guilty to federal firearms offences and eight others were indicted by a federal grand jury in connection to international firearms trafficking. Creegan says it was a sophisticated operation that used the northern border as a pipeline to transport illegal guns. Court documents say members of the Akwesasne reservation in New York enlisted people to purchase firearms from licensed dealers on behalf of others who weren’t legally allowed to own them. The firearms trafficking began in 2021 and ran until at least 2024, the documents say. U.S. law enforcement tracked 51 firearms...
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Baby delivered on sidewalk in the cold after patient redirected from hospital
By John Chilibeck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Daily Gleaner A baby was delivered on the sidewalk outside the Fredericton hospital last month after a couple was told labour and birth services were unavailable at their local hospital more than an hour away. Lauren and Nick Atkinson welcomed their daughter, Charlotte, on April 18 outside the ER entrance to the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in New Brunswick’s capital. The father delivered the baby outside in the cold before staff could help. Lauren’s labour progressed too quickly to reach the delivery ward after the couple raced down the highway at breakneck speed. “It all happened within 30 seconds of getting there,” she said in an interview. It’s the second time a woman from Woodstock gave birth in harrowing circumstances. Only...
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City, B.C., First Nations in push to keep Whitecaps in Vancouver ‘for generations’
The City of Vancouver, the B.C. government, First Nations and the Crown corporation that owns BC Place say they are working with “private partners” to keep the Whitecaps Major League Soccer team in the city. The group said in a joint statement Thursday that they are also working on improving the “game-day economic model” at the stadium, but it did not identify the private investors. It also said they were advancing work on a potential new stadium and exploring additional sponsorship opportunities. “This joint statement demonstrates a unified commitment from all partners to keep the Whitecaps in Vancouver for generations to come,” they said. The group, which includes the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations and stadium company PavCo, said it was working with the federal government, although it was not...
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